The present invention relates to an arm chair and, in particular, an arm chair including a cup holder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retractable cup holder for a folding chair.
Chairs, especially folding chairs, are frequently placed in groups or set arrangements in both large and small rooms for receptions or other activities. In certain cases, it is inconvenient to place a table next to every chair to provide a place for persons seated in the chairs to place beverage cups or the like.
According to the invention, a chair includes a chair arm coupled to a frame and a cup holder mounted to the chair arm for movement between a retracted position lying underneath the chair arm to an opened position lying away from the underside of the chair arm. A person seated in such a chair can move the cup holder relative to the chair arm to the opened position and place a cup therein whenever the need for such a cup holder arises.
In preferred embodiments, the cup holder includes first and second arms mounted for pivotable movement about a pivot axis relative to the chair arm and to one another. Outer ends of the first and second arms mate with one another and cooperate to define an interlock for guiding relative movement of the first and second arms as those arms are moved by a user between the retracted and opened positions. Each of the first and second arms include a curved serrated edge and these edges cooperate to define a circular cup-receiving opening when the cup holder is moved to its opened position so that a person seated in the chair can place a beverage cup therein.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.